Holmes: And now for the good news…

Sunday

Aug 3, 2014 at 12:01 AMAug 3, 2014 at 10:48 AM

By Rick HolmesOpinion editor

So far, it's been a good summer to be at the beach, the mountains, or anywhere safely removed from the TV news.Those watching have heard a litany of woes from one end of the globe to another, amplified by news anchors desperate for our attention.To hear them tell it, the world is collapsing all around us and we'll be lucky to survive to Labor Day. It's as if they'd never before seen war in the Middle East, Russian belligerence, airplane disasters, corruption on Beacon Hill or a suddenly terrible Red Sox team.But relax. The beach beckons, and here are a few items of good news to take along with you:- The national economy grew by an annual rate of 4 percent last quarter, more than anyone expected. The Massachusetts economy grew even more, a regional analysis concluded, by 4.9 percent. Unemployment is down to 6.2 percent across the country, to 5.5 percent in Massachusetts. More than 200,000 jobs were added nationwide in July, the sixth month in a row to hit that mark. It's been 17 years since that happened. The recovery is for real.Yes, I know. The economy is still lousy in some places - but hasn't that always been the case? Yes, if you look closely you'll find structural weakness, uncertainty and injustice. But we're trying to be positive here.- We're doing better by our kids. Massachusetts ranks first in the nation in the latest Kids Count report, compiled by the Annie E. Casey Foundation.The Bay State came in first for education, second for childhood health, eighth for family and community, and 13th for economic wellbeing.Yes, we've got a ways to go, and some of the states aren't tough competition. It's good that 47 percent of Massachusetts fourth-graders are proficient in reading, but that means 53 percent fall short of proficiency. But let's take the half-cup and enjoy what's left of school vacation.- The annual report of the Medicare Trustees came out this week, and the fund millions of seniors rely on for health care is getting healthier. Medicare Part A is solvent through 2030, the report concludes. That's four years longer than the estimate a year ago – and 13 years longer than the projection when the Affordable Care Act was signed into law.Medicare is doing better because health spending per patient has been flat for the past year, the report says. And part of the credit goes to cost-containment provisions in Obamacare.Speaking of Obamacare, the New England Journal of Medicine just reported that 10 million previously uninsured Americans have gotten health care through the ACA. Last September, 21 percent didn't have health insurance. In April, that was down to 16.1 percent.I know, everybody hates Obamacare, and some people hate it so much they will never acknowledge anything positive that might come from it. But for at least 10 million people there's got to be some comfort there.- And remember the deficit, that existential threat to the republic bemoaned by grim-faced politicians and commentators? They predicted trillion-dollar deficits as far as the eye could see, as I recall. But the Congressional Budget Office just lowered its estimate, projecting the government will finish the fiscal year with a deficit of $492 billion, or 2.8 percent of GDP. That's about where it stood early in George W. Bush's presidency.- Closer to home, we've witnessed something I can't remember ever seeing before: The employees of a large corporation protesting loudly and risking their jobs on behalf of their fired CEO. Market Basket, it turns out, isn't just another supermarket chain. It's a profitable company that treats its workers and its customers right. If they ever get this thing settled – and bring back "good Arthur" – I bet they'll have a boatload of new shoppers wandering the aisles.As for the Red Sox, I won't try to tell you there's good news at Fenway Park. Having gone from worst in 2012 to first in 2013, it's back to worst in 2014, and they just traded away their best pitchers. Sure, many fans, like me, are still warm from the glow of last year's championship season. But watching baseball has been painful this summer.For good news, consider this: The first Patriots pre-season game is Thursday. Take some Super Bowl hopes, and not the nightly newscast, to the beach with you. And don't forget the sunscreen.Rick Holmes is Daily News opinion editor. He can be reached at rholmes@wickedlocal.com. Follow him @masspolinews.